


Sunset to Sunrise

by jacketjean



Category: Buzzfeed: Worth It (Web Series)
Genre: Drinking, Las Vegas, M/M, Phone mixup, adam is wild as hell, lost in las vegas? how the fuck do you get lost in las vegas?, steven? responsible? its less likely than you think
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-06
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2019-03-14 12:33:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13590147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacketjean/pseuds/jacketjean
Summary: Steven is a responsible guy. He can handle most things because he's seen most things. That is, until he looses an intoxicated Adam in Las Vegas.Andrew is a local. He can handle everything because living in Las Vegas, he's seen everything. So when a tourist asks him to assist in finding his drunk friend in a foreign city, he's happy to help.And if said tourist is cute, what the hell's he got to lose?





	1. Viva Las Business Trip

Steven Lim was the responsible guy. Well, at least when they were out he was. Steven would keep track of how many drinks his friends had had (although sometimes that seemed countless), know which bars were open at what times, keep track of everyone, hold their hair back, etc. Sometimes, if he was lucky, other people would bare these burdens. Though, he was somehow always stuck as driver. Typically a night out would consist of Steven packing more people than he probably should into his cobalt blue Honda Accord, heading to the nearest bar, and tapping out at the second club around two-thirty something in the morning, much to his friends’ protests. Steven’s way of seeing it was if they could afford to rage ‘til dawn, they could afford an Uber, too.

Tonight, however, it was just him and Adam. The bearded latter had insisted they spend their last night in the ‘ _dazzling_ city of Las Vegas’ as he put it, getting absolutely shitfaced. Never mind the fact the two were on a business trip and had a plane to catch back to Los Angeles the next morning. No, Adam wouldn’t have his first visit to God’s handcrafted adult playground any other way. 

Steven desperately wanted to tell him no, but of course he couldn’t. There was something indescribable about the way Adam’s eyes bore into you when he was asking you a question. It was like he was a toddler studying the actions of ant, magnifier in hand, and was watching his every breath, every twitch. It made Steven mentally squirm with discomfort and unease, the only way to relieve himself of the (somewhat) ginger’s cryptic gaze being to tell Adam whatever he wanted to hear. This meant that in the short four-day window they had in Vegas for work, they’d gone out twice. The lean, lanky man was exhausted. The only break he’d caught this entire excursion was on the third night they were there, and that was only because Adam had roped some local into his second night on the town in a row. Some dirty-blond guy roughly the same age as them with an ‘A’ name. Aaron? Andy? Alex? Steven couldn’t remember, he’d passed out in the hotel room promptly after they left.

To be completely honest, he’d forgotten about the local until tonight. For some reason, tonight his mind wouldn’t allow his thoughts to be directed towards anyone or anything else other than those warm, hazel green eyes. His tasteful scruff (a look Steven thought he himself couldn’t pull off in a million years). The way he’d introduced himself in that low, yet powerful voice.

 _“Have we met before?” He’d inquired, his head cocked to the side a tad.  
A phantom response danced on Steven’s tongue._ I wish.

His handshake, firm and assertive yet simultaneously cold and hesitant. Distrustful, distant. Steven wondered why for a while before being pulled from his thoughts by the sudden remembrance of where he was as a women a few seats down splashed a drink into some man’s face. He sighed audibly.

The night was young, they were only at their first bar and Steven was only just beginning his second drink, but Adam’s speech was already beginning to slur. How early was it? Eight? For a guy who drinks the way he does, Adam was an absolute lightweight. Maybe this was a blessing in disguise, maybe tonight he’d get enough sleep and _not_ wake up with a migraine pounding against the back of his eyes tomorrow morning. Turning to the side in his swivel barstool, he fully expected to be met with the familiar sight of his four-eyed friend-slash-coworker sitting next to him. To his surprise, Adam was absent from his seat. In his place remained an unused coaster and a half-finished drink. Steven turned another 90 degrees to see… 

No one. 

No one important, anyways. There was a young couple in black and maroon grinding, a lone middle-aged man dancing wildly in corduroy purple cutoffs and boat shoes, a few other couples scattered, and a handful more distinguishable bodies but it was mainly just a lot of flesh and flashy clothes moving in anything but unison. Among the mob of colors though, he couldn’t spot Adam’s forest green short-sleeved button up anywhere in the jam-packed bar.

Steven hopped out of his stool, pocketing his phone and started in the direction of the back towards the bathroom to find Adam. He pushed the door open gingerly and peaked his head in, to no avail. Heading back toward were he was sitting at the bar, he felt his strides quicken ever so slightly. 

Adam wasn’t at the bar.

Pool tables, he had to be at the pool tables. Steven took off towards the pool tables at the very front of the bar, coming up empty-handed yet again. There was only one more place to check and that was out front. Jogging back to the bar to pay for their unfinished drinks, his phone buzzed. _Adam_. He thought. 

 

ilNASTY:  
**you busy?**

 

Upon closer inspection of the phone, this was clearly not his device. First of all, the casing was a wood themed Otter Box, and Steven didn’t have a case. He didn’t need one, he was Responsible Steven, but the longer he couldn’t find Adam the less that reputation stood true.  
Second, “Who the hell is ‘ilnasty’?” overcame him before he could stop himself, prompting almost-concerning looks from his fellow patrons before the went back to whatever they were doing. This wasn’t _his_ phone, this was _Adam’s_ phone. 

_You have got to be fucking kidding me_ Ran through his head.

 

Adam B.: **hey this is adam’s friend steven, who’s this?**

 

Steven found himself replying to the message on his way out the doors and into the thick, warm summer air. Pocketing the phone again, he looked around left and right down the street, pacing up and down it as he did so. His introverted companion, still nowhere to be seen.  
_Buzz_

 

ilNASTY: **Oh, Steven from the other night? This is Andrew.**

 

Andrew. That's right, the 'a' name. Which meant the silver-haired man was now speaking to the local he was thinking about before-  
_Buzz_

 

ilNASTY: **What are you doing with Bianchi’s phone? Is he okay?**

 

 _More like what is he doing with mine_ Steven mentally retorted.

 

Adam B.: **there was a mix up and now I can’t seem to find him, actually**

 

Adam B.: **is he, by any chance, with you right now? or have you at least heard from him?**

 

Steven’s heartrate picks up pace. _Adam’s fine._ He tells himself. _Where’s he gonna go? Roam the streets of Las Vegas like a drunken idiot? He’s with Andrew. They went out last night, they probably just did it again tonight. Calm down._

 

ilNASTY: **no, why?**

 

“Oh shit.” Steven spoke softly. He slows to a halt from pacing the entrance to the bar.

“Oh _shit_!” he repeated significantly louder, closing his eyes and throwing his head back with his hands on his face, full gravity of the situation finally hitting him.

Steven Lim, the responsible guy, had just lost his drunk friend in an unfamiliar city plagued with other drunk people and set up for those same drunk people to make dumbass drunk decisions.

An obnoxiously bright pink Hummer limo drove by with the sunroof open and an intoxicated blonde no older than 25 hanging out of it. Her mascara was running and she wore an extravagant wedding dress in tatters with a sash that read ‘JUST DIVORCED’.

“VIVA LAS VEGAS BABYYYYYY!” She shrieked, throat hoarse. The hummer skidded off and nearly hit two street performers in the process. Vulgarities ensnared the heated, albeit short, argument that ensued.

Steven pinched the bridge of his nose before turning Adam’s phone back on and shooting Mr. ‘ilNASTY’ a ‘call me’ text. He glanced at the time on Adam’s phone. 8:36pm.

This was about to be the longest night of his life.


	2. For Karen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my tumblr is @jacketjean gotta add that shameless self promo

It’s thirteen minutes before Steven decides to stop circling the block in a last ditch effort to find Adam and take a seat on a worn deep green bench just outside the entrance to an Indian take-out place. It’s another four minutes before he realizes his right leg has been bouncing up and down since he sat down and makes a conscious decision to stop. 

He really needed to calm down. Adam’s a grown man, he’ll be fine, he always is. 

Except that time on Halloween in 2014 . 

And that time on St. Patrick’s Day last year. 

And that time when Eugene had the idea to shoot a video about different kinds of European drinks and Adam had maybe six too many from behind the camera (Russia was _not_ kind).

Okay, so maybe Adam _was_ prone to these kinds of things, so what? It’d never happened away from home and it’d certainly never happened with just Steven to look after him. Steven was alone and didn’t have a clue where to begin.

Steven pulled Adam’s phone from the front pocket of his dark jeans and anxiously typed out a message.

 

Adam B.: **where are you?**

 

He’d received a call from the notorious ‘ilNASTY’- _Andrew,_ He corrected himself- shortly after he’d texted the somewhat stranger. Steven tried to convey to him (the best he could without making himself sound like a shitty friend) how he’d lost his lightweight pal and how Andrew was the only one in town he knew, if barely. Steven silently thanked god Andrew was receptive and picked up on the question Steven was dancing around.

“Where are you?” He spoke a little exasperated through the phone, cutting Steven off midsentence.

“Uhhhh…” Steven leaned back a tad and glanced around the corner to get a look at the street sign indicating where he was. “East Charleston and Maryland?”

“Orleans Square?” Andrew further inquired.

“Yeah, why?”

“Be there in fifteen, stay put.” _Click._

_Did he just hang up on me?_

Andrew had, in fact, hung up on him. Now, he was keeping him waiting. He’s about to text him again when he hears a low, warm, questioning voice.

“Steve?”

He looked up from Adam’s phone to be greeted with a man in a bright thick-striped orange and white short-sleeved tee paired with long khaki pants and brown shoes that could almost be considered formal. The expression he wore was one of uncertainty that dissipated into a familiarity when Steven’s near-charcoal eyes met his blue-green.

“N.” Steven finds himself correcting the newcomer before he could stop himself. He stood up, smoothing out his clothes as he did. “Steve _n._ You’re late.”

As he pockets his phone, Andrew eyes the taller with a sense of… Steven wouldn’t call it annoyance, but something close. “You’re lost. Now we’re even.”

Steven opened his mouth to argue but upon closer inspection of his surroundings, he really didn’t know too well where he was. To his immediate right there was a middle-aged fashionable lesbian couple with yard cups filled with a bright green slush, presumably margaritas. To his left, street performers gathering a crowd. Right square in front of him was Andrew ‘ilNASTY’, some dude he’d just met who was trying to help him find his coworker in this daunting city he knew nothing about filled with gorgeous bright lights and livelihood. All around him, despite his inner turmoil about Adam, the atmosphere was intoxicating. Even without the influence of alcohol. 

Steven quickly wondered how Andrew lived here undistracted. How could anyone see through the haze of love, life, and sin that was Las Vegas?

Steven ran a hand through his hair nervously. “So where do we start? Should I call the police?”

Andrew looked at him with almost pity. “Do you have any idea how many missing person reports these guys get every night? How many of those same ones are solved by morning and a Vegas wedding? There’s no use in even _attempting_ to call.”

Silence fell upon the two on the side of the bustling street. Andrew’s right hand snaked around his own neck and rubbed, his left remaining in his front pocket. 

“Where did you say you saw him last again?”

“Oh,” Steven responded, “the bar down the street.”

“Did you ask anyone if they’d seen him before you left?”

Mentally kicking himself, Steven answered more hesitantly. “Well, no but-“

The dirty-blond’s right hand flew out from behind his neck and he began to use it to gesture. “Well shit, dude, how the hell were you expecting to find him if you don’t know where he’s going?”

Andrew swiftly walked past Steven, prompting the latter to turn in the direction he was going.

“I’m sorry, did I miss something?” Steven said whilst jogging to catch up to Andrew. “Where are you going?”

“Back to the bar?” Andrew replied, looking up a bit to meet Steven’s eyes with an expression that in itself stated ‘duh, idiot’

“Right, yeah, that. Okay. Alright cool.” _Shut up, Steven._

They walked in relative silence to the bar, which honestly wasn’t too far away but felt double the time with the new body heat standing confidently next to him. Steven turned his head to examine the man he’d blindly invited to assist in his coworker’s search and rescue mission. He was handsome, yeah that was a given, but Steven didn’t know him. For all he knew, Andrew could be a serial killer! Maybe that’s why he didn’t want Steven calling the police, or why when he first shook Stevens hand before he went out with Adam he seemed so distant. What if Andrew was planning on killing Steven and kidnapping Adam was all part of the plan?  
_Ryan would just fucking love this,_ was amongst his thoughts and that was not, under any circumstances, a good thing. He could see it now, ‘Which brings us to our next theory, Steven Lim was assassinated by the KGB.’

Steven continued on his downward spiral but never looked away from Andrew who, because of this, finally spoke up after about two straight minutes of Steven just towering over him.

“If you’re thinking I’m an axe murderer, I’m not. Just an FYI.” He said, still looking forward.

This caught Steven off guard and lead him into a stuttering mess. “O-oh no, why would I- I wouldn’t think that! Why would I think that? Who thinks that? I don’t.”

Andrew looked up at him with disbelief and sighed. “Look man, we barely know each other. If you weren’t so nervous yourself, I’d feel the same.” The shorter man stopped at the entrance to the now significantly busier bar and pivoted on his heel to face Steven. “If it makes you feel any better, I’m Andrew Ilnyckyj, I was born in 1990, my favorite food is pizza, and I’m a palm reader.” He then held his hand out towards the other.

“You gonna give me your social security number next?” He said, lightly giggling as he reached out to shake Andrew’s outstretched hand. “I’m Steven Lim, I was _also_ born in 1990, I love all foods, really, and I work for a media company.” 

As they started filing in with the rest of the people around them into the bar, Andrew spoke up again. “So Steven, where you from?” 

“California. L.A.” He answered. They’d gained entrance back into the bar. “Originally though, Ohio.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that like? Moving, I mean.”

“Hot.”

This provoked a laugh out of Andrew, a first since they’d started talking. “Yeah, I Bet.” He leaned on the bar.

“How about yourself?” The silver haired man found himself asking.

“Vegas, through and through. My family’s been here since the mafia days.” He answered, seeming genuinely enthused to share this.

“That’s pretty badass.” Steven couldn’t help but be impacted by the way Andrew’s eyes lit up at the opportunity to tell someone that little tidbit of Ilnyckyj history. 

“I know.”

Their conversation came to a halt when they found themselves interrupted by the bartender.

“Anything I can get y’all?” He spoke, deep southern accent thick.

Andrew spoke up before Steven got the chance. “Yeah we were wondering if you’d seen this man leave to anywhere about forty-five minutes ago.” He pulled up an image of Adam nose deep in a plate of nachos presumably from when they’d hung out the other night.

“Oh the plastered redhead? Yeah I saw him leave, almost walked right on into traffic getting across the street headed downtown.” The bartender recalled.

“Shit.” Andrew cursed under his breath, just barely loud enough to Steven to hear.

“What do you mean ‘shit’? What’s wrong?” Steven asked, knitting his eyebrows together in confusion.

“C’mon we’ve gotta hurry downtown, if that’s where’s he’s at.” Was the only warning he got before Andrew had his hand in his and was pulling him out through the bodies of strangers with absolutely no caution whatsoever.

When they got outside, Andrew finally dropped his hand. Steven would be lying if he said he wasn’t at least a little disappointed. 

The car ride into downtown, much like the walk to the bar, was mostly silent. Except this time, Steven wasn’t fearing Andrew, he was admiring his city instead as they passed hotels, restaurants, clubs, casino, and museums he’d only seen drunk or in movies.  
_Buzz_

_attachment: one image_

“What the _fuck_?” Escaped Steven before he was given the opportunity to stop himself. This elicited a curious glance from Andrew. “Eyes on the road.” 

“I could drive around Vegas backwards with my eyes closed and in total darkness.” Andrew stated matter-of-factly before averting his attention back to the road. 

Steven looked up from Adam’s device in his hand to quizzically stare at his driver. He stayed like this for a beat then spoke. “Why would you need to close your eyes if you were in total darkness?” 

Andrew again turned to face him as they approached a red light. “Shut up?” 

Steven shrugged and showed him the picture. Andrew’s eyes widened in a cocktail of emotions that were hard to pick out before erupting into a laughing fit that was only stifled by a honk from the driver behind them when the light turned green. 

The image Steven had received from his own phone was a selfie depicting his four-eyed friend with his left arm outstretched onto a black torn leather arm rest. A pale man with shoulder length flaming orange hair held out of his face by a black sweatband was in the midst of tattooing text onto a grinning and inebriated Adam. 

“Does- does that say-” Was all Andrew’s lips allowed to pass through before yet again laughter took him over. 

"’Fuck Karen’? Yeah, it does.” 

“Who the hell is Karen?” 

“Like I know?” 

He grabbed the phone from Steven, their fingers lightly brushed and Steven made a mental note not to think about that too hard. Andrew inspected the photo then flicked on his blinker before handing him back Adam’s phone. 

“Uh, where are you going?” Steven asked, a little uneasily. 

“Well, while I can’t do anything about the tattoo, I can take us where he went to get it.” He answered, turning onto the Las Vegas strip. 

Andrew parked his dark grey sedan in front of a tourist trap novelty shop towards the heart of the strip. Exiting the car Steven was immediately hit with the aroma of the six billion different restaurants within a mile radius of where he stood. The smell, however, was enormously overpowered by the visual that was the Las Vegas strip. From where he stood he could see the High Roller observation wheel and all that lay under as well as above it. The four miles of land that seemed to stretch forever was filled with a constant buzz of life and light. So much light, actually, Steven was to a small degree disoriented before Andrew grabbed his shoulder and shook him out of his daze. 

“You okay?” He inquired gently. 

“Yeah. Yeah I just…” Steven shook his head and gestured all around them. “it's a lot, all this." 

Andrew scoffed and began walking in presumably the direction of the tattoo parlor. “You’re tellin’ me. First time my parents brought me to the strip I thought I’d seen God.” 

Steven put his hands in his pockets trotted over to walk next to his shorter acquaintance. 

“Don’t look down.” He said once Steven had caught up. 

Bringing his attention down from the sparkling lights above, he met Andrew’s bottle green eyes. “Mind if I ask why?” 

“Well you can if you want but-“ The dirty blond’s words were quickly muted as Steven looked down onto the sidewalk only to be greeted with more business card form pictures of naked women with block letters spelling out things like ‘BUSTY BABES ON THE CORNER OF FREEMONT AND 4TH’ and ‘XXX 18+ ONLY’ on the tops than he could count for as far as he could see. 

“OH WOW OKAY! Those are..” The wide-eyed Steven trailed off, snapping his head back upright. 

“The ladies gotta promote their business somehow, right?” Andrew seemed unfazed, a stark contrast to the taller man. 

“Oh yeah, I’m just… I’m not really into that.” 

"Prostitution is a legal and common practice here.” Andrew stated without moving his head from the stretch of pavement ahead. 

“No not that I mean like-“ 

"Women?” Andrew’s eyes were suddenly on him, but his response remained cool and collected. 

Steven took his hands out of his pockets and sighed. “Yeah.” 

Andrew cut across him and opened a door to a place with the words ‘The Parlor’ engraved on the door and pictures of skull designs hanging in the windows. 

“Don’t sweat it, neither is half the city.” He shrugged. 

Steven hesitated to walk in and locked eyes with the local. “Are you?” he asked. 

Andrew flicked his eyes from the tips of Steven’s silver toned hair down to his feet. A beat hit and Steven walked inside the shop. Behind him he could hear what almost sounded like a faint chuckle from Andrew. 

He hadn’t answered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alright thats this weeks boys! (a day early) ive got so many more ideas as to how im going to carry this out im so excited! (every time adam does some dumb shit i do the 'ADAM' vine in my head) also comments refuel my gas tank and replenish my crops


	3. Breaking and Entering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I thought you said you knew someone!"
> 
> "Yeah, well, I lied!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> late update sorry ahhhh :(

The soft jingle of the bells above the door as Steven walked into the scent of rubbing alcohol failed to interrupt the electric droning of tattoo guns.

“Welcome to The Parlor, how can I help you?” Greeted a shorter women with a red lip in her late thirties. Her raven hair was pulled into a tight high ponytail that matched her all black attire which appeared to be the standard uniform for employees based on the guy from Adam’s selfie. Her seemingly fully tattooed skin was tanned but on the lighter side, and if Steven had to guess he’d say her family was from the Southeast region of Asia.

Steven noticed a large tank behind her containing a currently red-orange chameleon cautiously lifting its legs to climb a stray branch. The little guy didn’t know what he was doing or where he was going, and in that sense Steven felt a pang of familiarity. “Hey!” Oh shit, why was he in here again? He looked around, borderline frantic. “Uh… cool pet?” He finally commented, not knowing what else to say. It was a cool lizard, though.

“Right? My uncle gave him to me after he got him from his drunk friend in Hawaii, it was pretty fuckin’ wild.” The woman beamed.

Andrew approached the front desk from the entrance behind Steven, leaning forward on it with his arms crossed on the edge of the counter. “Hey Tara, is Jimmy working tonight?” He kindly asked, accompanied by a knowing, charming smile. Steven noticed and silently questioned the nature of their relationship.

“You son of a bitch!” Tara exclaimed, brutally smacking Andrew’s left arm and startling Steven before erupting into laughter. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming in tonight? I would’ve reserved my station!” 

“For the hundredth time, I’m not getting a tattoo. Especially from you.” Andrew responded as he stood up straight and crossed his arms again.

“One day, Ilnyckyj. One day.” Her eyes cut across to Steven, catching him off guard. “Who’s this?”

Andrew locked eyes with Steven, who was trying to convey as much ‘help me’ into his gaze as possible. Andrew, assumingly picking up on Steven’s distress, looked back at Tara and tilted his head sideways momentarily to gesture towards the taller man.

“Stevie from sunny L.A. over here lost his buddy a little earlier. A few minutes ago, he sent us a photo of him with Jimmy giving him a masterpiece on his wrist.” Andrew explained, ridiculously nonchalant considering the turmoil Steven was sitting on.

“’ _N_ ’. It’s Steve _n_.” Andrew waved away Steven’s correction and Tara completely ignored it.

“Oh, the ‘Fuck Karen’ guy? Glasses?” She inquired.

“That would be the one.” Steven replied, a little disturbed and uncertain about the situation.

“Yeah, that motherfucker was drunk off his _ass_! Came in with some blondie on his arm, demanding someone with only the _most_ experience work on him. Naturally, we gave him the twenty-three-year-old. Anyways, the chick sits up at the front until he’s finished because he refused to let her back there, told her ‘it’s a surprise babe I promise you’re gonna love it.’” Tara launches into full story mode, adding air quotes to Adam’s speech. “Four-eyes walks out 20 minutes later to show her and she stands up and decks him right in the nose then leaves. The guy’s got blood just running down his face and into his beard at this point, he turns to me, I give him a paper towel from my station, and he looks me dead in the eyes and says, ‘That was Karen’.”

There’s a silence in the seconds following the tattoo artist’s spiel before Andrew clutches his side and nearly doubles over cackling. Meanwhile, Steven’s emotions were more of a cocktail of shock, confusion, fear, amusement, and anger. Unfortunately, anger was the one that decided to manifest.

“So some guy comes in who’s _clearly_ intoxicated and you guys decide a tattoo is exactly what this guy needs? Isn’t that like, illegal? Did you ever stop to think about what the consequences of that might be?” Overcomes Steven. How irresponsible must you be to do that? What if Adam had wanted that brandished right center on his forehead, would they’ve just let him do it?

“I’m sorry, have you forgotten where you are? Because I want you to take a peak outside and tell me how many sober people you see. Our main clientele consists of drunks who happen to stumble in here, that’s kind of the point of Las Vegas.” Tara spoke with a great annoyance in her tone. 

As the tension raised, Andrew’s laughter dissolved. “So, Jimmy-“ 

“Left a few minutes before you got here, sorry.”

“Well you were there, did you happen to see where he was going?”

Tara put a pen from behind the counter to her temple and thought. “Not that I can remember, but when he was walking in he and the girl were talking about some party tonight at Liquid.”

“What’s that?” Steven asked, resulting in a scoff from the tattoo artist and an explanation from the local to his right.

“It’s a pool lounge a few minutes further down the boulevard. It’s crazy expensive.”

“Not to mention crazy exclusive, you’ve got to know a few people to get in.” Tara piped in.

 _Well, fuck_ Steven thought. “How the hell are we gonna get in?”

More so, how would Adam get in, or even know about it to begin with? This was only his first time in the city, surely he didn’t know about it if Steven hadn’t. 

After a bit of collective thought, Tara shrugged. “Sorry kid, I got nothing. Last person I know who’s been there was fired last year.”

A new customer emerged through the front door “Excuse me boys. Hello ma’am, welcome to The Parlor, how may I help you?” And just like that, Tara was gone.

Defeated, The lanky fellow collected his gaze towards his guide.

Andrew wrung his hands through his hair as he sighed and suggested, “Well I suppose… I _might_ know this guy-”

“Do you think he can get us in?” Steven gained a bit hope.

“Not really.”

 _There goes that hope_. 

“We have no choice though do we?” Andrew inquired, to no reply. “C’mon, then.”

***  
“I thought you said you knew someone!” Steven angrily whispered from behind six-foot bushes surround the perimeter of Liquid, silver wisps of hair peaking out from the tops. 

“Yeah, well, I lied!” Andrew looked back and down at Steven as he mounted atop a grey chain-linked fence encompassing the grounds. “Get up here.”

The local outstretched his hand to Steven, to which he reluctantly took and was pulled up to the top of the fence with Andrew. “I cannot believe we’re doing this. I can’t believe you’re making me do this right now. Why am I letting you do this?” 

“That’s a good question.” Climbing down the gate, he once again outstretched his arms to Steven, this time to help him down. Steven ignored him and climbed down and marched off toward the edge of the building. 

“I hate you.” Steven stated, not meaning it in the slightest.

Maybe he meant it a little.

“Yet,” Andrew huffed. “here you are.”

_Here I am. _Steven dreadfully thought.__

__Why was he here? He was letting a man he hardly knew not only break and enter, but drag him along. This wasn’t supposed to happen, either. Any of it. He and Adam were to be here for four days _for business_ , that was it. Honestly? Steven hadn’t even planned on going in the first place, nonetheless partying for three nights. Much less the hangovers after and in the foreseeable future. He definitely hadn’t planned on losing Adam. He also hadn’t planned on meeting ‘ilNASTY’, but of all the things he was upset about with this trip, he somehow wasn’t one._ _

__“So where would Adam be?” He asked._ _

__The dirty-blond peaked around the edge of the building then pressed himself against the wall and leaned in close so the silver haired man would hear him. He spoke in a lowered tone Steven couldn’t say he disliked. “So look, I’m going to go inside through the kitchen. You need to cut across the back of the building until you reach a black gate. There, you’re going to need to jump it and by then you should be in the pool area, where I’ll meet you.”_ _

__“Why do you-” Steven accidently started at full volume._ _

__“Shhhh!” Andrew cut him off with a hand to the mouth as he looked around, anxious._ _

__“Sorry.” He apologized as he removed Andrew’s surprisingly soft yet firm hand from his mouth. “Why do you need to go a different way?”_ _

__“If we both go the same way, they’ll be more suspicious.”_ _

__Though Steven wasn’t convinced by his weak explanation, he still followed his directions across the back and over the fence, finding himself at the pool in no time. Upon arrival, he was greeted by a tray of brightly colored mixed drinks in the hands of a waiter dressed in semi-formal apparel, to which he accepted. If he was going to break the rules, he figured he might as well enjoy it. The DJ was in a booth a few feet from the packed pool and every time the beat dropped he slammed this button that emit fog from the four points of the booth, sending the swimsuit clad crowd wild in a concoction of dancing, singing, yelling, and splashing. Everyone was able to maintain their impeccable appearances yet still get undeniably wasted. It was probably the closest thing to a music video Steven had ever seen._ _

__He looked around for Adam in the mass of bodies in the pool or slung across lounge chairs under cabanas with no luck. After two rounds around the pool in search of his introverted companion, Steven took a seat in one of the pale blue lounge chairs and began to ponder his situation yet again, this time confirming the events of the night._ _

__He had lost Adam, his best friend. Said friend had gotten a tattoo cursing Karen, Steven didn’t know Karen. No one knew Karen. He himself had just snuck into an insanely costly pool party guided by a blunt Las Vegas native with suspicious previous knowledge of the layout of the place. Taking a sip of his orange iced drink easily comparable to a capri-sun, he made a mental note to get to know this guy better, preferably after they found Adam._ _

__“Psst. Steven. Over here.” Called a hurried voice over the music._ _

__“Andrew?” Steven turned to look closer to the pool to Andrew with sleeves rolled up to his elbows adorned in a white button down with an emerald green tag that displayed the name ‘Nick’ and black slacks, much like the waiter he’d seen walking around offering drinks. “What are you wearing? Where did you even get that?” He further questioned him as he walked over to him._ _

__“What am I wearing? What are _you_ wearing? You’ve got on black jeans and a fucking long sleeved half striped, half black shirt that almost goes to your knees!” The faux waiter complained, picking at Steven’s shirt. “What the fuck even is that? Why are you dressed like this in the middle of the desert? What is wrong with you?”_ _

__Admittedly, he was ill prepared for the weather, but that didn’t give Andrew the right to bitch about it. “Full offense, buddy, I’m not taking fashion advice from a guy who just stole someone else’s work clothes.”_ _

__“Borrowed! I’m borrowing these. And you need to blend in if you want to find Adam before we get kicked out.” Andrew threw his hands into the air in frustration._ _

__Steven opened his mouth to combat Andrew’s suggestion until the air horn accompanied by fog from the DJ booth went off, startling the both of them and causing Steven to drop his glass._ _

__Steven lost his footing and in his sudden panic, grabbed at Andrew’s shirt, to no relief from the fall. In fact, now they were both falling at what seemed like a fraction of a second before a splash was heard._ _

___Nice one, Steven._ _ _

__He fought to untangle himself from Andrew from under the water and swim to the surface. When he broke free he reached for the edge of the pool, gripping the side and plunging himself upwards. “ _Shit_.” Steven gasped while wiping the chlorine from his already stinging eyes._ _

__Andrew broke the surface of the water right to the left of Steven, panting and coughing as well. The two looked at each other like just like that, breathless and adrenaline pumping at a million miles a minute._ _

__“Warn me next time you decide to _pool_ me in like that, wont you?_ _

__Then, Steven laughed. He’d tried to hold it in originally, and when it came out, it was more of a bark, but it was a laugh nonetheless. He guessed it was contagious too, because within seconds his fellow drenched man was bellowing the same laugh._ _

__“Oh my fucking _God_ , that wasn’t even mediocre!” Steven was able to manage through his own guffawing._ _

__“Alright, alright, alriiiiight! Let’s give it up for our very special guest today- sorry what’s your name?- Adaaaaam!” Announced the DJ over the loud speaker. Steven had already lifted himself from the pool, careful to aviod the shards of glass from his drink before Andrew had the chance to even turn his head. He gave Andrew a hand out of the pool, for a moment feeling a parallel to earlier._ _

__“You sure that’s him?” He inquired while he straightened out his ‘borrowed’ pants._ _

__“It has to be.” Steven affirmed._ _

__The crowd cheered for the guest, the two men stood in silence._ _

__“Now I’d just like to remind y’all, this is the last song of the night so make sure to make some noise! Adam, if you will.” From inside the box, Steven could see a head of auburn hair jump up and slam down on the button. The crowd erupted into an unimaginable roar and Steven and Andrew raced to the DJ booth on the other side of the pool._ _

__“Adam! Adam!” Steven yells in hopes of attracting his attention. Instead, he creates a chant and soon the entire pool is thrashing around to EDM and screaming ‘Adam! Adam! Adam!’._ _

___Unbelievable._ He thinks as he looks over to his right at Andrew only to discover, he’s chanting with them. Steven sighs and treks on to the DJ booth._ _

__They don’t get ten feet from the booth when they’re met with a man about the same height as Andrew equipped with a flashlight he’s not afraid to shine directly into their eyes. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you two to vacate the premises immediately.”_ _

__“Just give us a minute my friend is right there.” Steven tries to lightly push past the man as he explains._ _

__“Or we can call security, if that’s how you’d rather do this.” The mans condescending tone seemingly irks Andrew as much as it does Steven. There’s something else there too, something Steven can’t describe. Does he owe this guy money or something?_ _

__“Just- give me a minute- Adam! Adam!”_ _

__The employee calls out a code into the walkie-talkie on his shoulder. He places his hand on Andrew’s tag and rips it off. “This is mine.”_ _


	4. Green Eggs and Pho

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is incredibly late and unbeta'd but hey! bada bing bada boom

“You hungry?” Andrew asked.

The duo were walking back to Andrew’s car after getting booted from Liquid, completely soaking, when the question arose. They were lucky the manager didn’t call the cops for trespassing, that’s for sure, but they couldn’t’ve given them some towels? Or at the very least Andrew’s original clothes back?

“Yeah, actually.” Steven responded after pondering for a moment. He hadn’t eaten since he left the hotel room with Adam earlier and all the running around town looking for him was draining.

Andrew stopped a few feet short of his car, digging his keys from his pocket and holding his breath as he questioningly pointed them at his vehicle. There was a double beeping noise allowing a sigh of relief with an underlying sense of… was that annoyance Steven picked up? Or was the local just tired? “Okay, so the water soaked through to my phone but at least my keys stayed peachy keen. Lovely.”

Steven winced. Yeah, no he was pissed. Andrew’s phone wasn’t going to be fixed by a bowl of dry rice, it was entirely unsalvageable thanks to him. Luckily, Steven had left Adam’s phone in the car but damn, did he feel shitty about Andrew. “Sorry about that, by the way. I didn’t mean to take you down with me like that, I was just falling all of a sudden and you were kinda just- there so...”

“Don’t worry about it. Besides, had we paid that’d be a ten-thousand dollar dip.” Andrew brushed off halfheartedly as he hopped off the curb and opened the passenger door for Steven.

“Chivalrous.” He mentioned, offering a weak smile.

Andrew slammed the door shut.

Once the two of them were buckled in, the taller man registered what Andrew had stated moments prior. “Ten-thousand dollars? For a _pool party_?”

Andrew snickered as he started up the car and began pulling back onto the strip. “Yeah, looks like you’re a bit of a fancy boy now.”

“I’ve been in Vegas for four days and your lifestyle here has already corrupted me.” Steven huffed sarcastically. Andrew had wrapped his hand behind the head of the passenger’s seat to un-parallel park and Steven was trying his best to bury his nose in his phone to make things maybe a little less awkward. Not that they were, to be completely honest. His guide’s proximity, though, might put him six-feet under.

“Welcome to sin city, baby.”

 _Baby?_ It didn’t mean absolutely anything and in the forefront of his mind he knew that, but Steven stopped his faux typing, momentarily plagued by the nagging thoughts of his subconscious. _That’s new. That’s fun._

“What’re you hungry for? There’s Mexican, Italian, pizza, loads of gourmet for your new fancy boy lifestyle-” Andrew begins to list off on his fingers.

“Y’know what ilnasty? Surprise me.” Steven interrupts.

Andrew quizzically raised his eyebrows with a tinge of shock. “Oh?”

“Yeah, we can do whatever you’d like. Adam’s still gonna be missing when we come back, right?” Steven felt the guilt creep in as he rounded out his sentence. It was true though, Adam was an adult, he could handle himself for a bit while Steven ate. As long as they found him before the night ended, how much damage could he do?

“Alright then, prepare to be amazed, Mr. Lim.”

 

Andrew drives with his left arm sticking out of the drivers side window. They’ve been traveling for ten minutes now and Steven’s begun to pick up on some of his newfound acquaintance’s patterns. He keeps the A/C on full blast and the coldest setting. Not a good combination with their wet clothes, but Steven doesn’t complain as it provides relief from the scorching temperature of the desert city just outside the thin glass he has his now drying hair on. Andrew keeps his hand on the top part of the bottom rung of his steering wheel as opposed to 10 and 2 and loosely makes his turns. His hair was significantly drier than Steven’s due to the open window. Consequently, his wet darker tone had transformed back into its original color while Steven was still stuck with an ugly, murky grey.

A rather janky buzzing neon red sign that read ‘ALLISON’S’ signified Andrew’s turn into the parking lot of a diner. Parking, he unbuckled and reached into the backseat, pulling out a muted maroon hoodie with a university logo in the center. “It’s freezing in there, you’re going to want this.”

Steven thanks him and gingerly takes the clothing, pulling it over as they step inside the cool restaurant.

“Please.. seat.. yourself.” Steven slowly reads off the chalkboard sign to the right of the entrance. “Lead the way, Ilnyckyj.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Andrew begins towards the back of the diner, getting there in not too many strides. The place was sandwiched between two businesses but it helped generate a personable, quaint vibe Steven appreciated to offset the noise of the city that lie just outside. “Table or booth?”

“Who the hell says ‘table’?” Steven inquired, taking a seat at the second to last booth before the kitchen cutoff.

“You’d be surprised.” Andrew commented as he slid into his spot opposite of the tourist.

“Welcome to Allison’s, scrambled egg capital of the world, my name’s Marissa and I’ll be your server tonight. What can I get you two started off with today?” A bubbly middle aged women with shoulder-length dreadlocks adorned in a lively yellow dress and white frilly apron asked.

“I’ll take a coffee. Steven?”

The two turned their attention to Steven. “A water is fine, thanks.”

Marissa placed two menus on the table, gave them a pat, then was on her way with the rest of the servers as they methodically as well as swiftly made their way around the bustling small venue.

Steven leaned in a tad to speak over the slowly rising volume. “So what’s this place about?”

The local bent forward, slimming the gap between them even more. “It’s only open from eight at night ‘til three the next morning, but they only serve breakfast food in a strange…”

Andrew droned on but for some reason, Steven couldn’t pay attention. He instead found himself wrapped up in the lined patterns of the dirty blond’s azure iris now inches from his own dark chocolate. This came as a shock to the taller man, he’d always read books and watched movies about people wanting to drown in other’s eyes but he’d never felt it. To top it off, Steven _hated_ blue eyes, always had. Something about the way people fawned over them made Steven uneasy, they were just eyes. He found it one of humanity’s odder fixations.

Andrew had stopped talking now and they were sitting there, silently gazing when his hypocrisy hit him like a freight train and he forced himself to tear away from the tight-gripped gaze and down to the menu.

That’s when it caught his attention. “I’m sorry, ‘Green Eggs and Ham’? How is that even possible?”

“Mold.” Andrew deadpanned.

They met eyes once more, Steven in shock and Andrew holding an almost detectable hint of mischief, but not quite.

“You’re joking.”

“Nope.” Andrew raised his menu back over his face. A beat passed and Steven remained slightly in awe. The man in from of him peeked his head back up, just enough to see his eyes.

“Yeah I’m joking! That violates like ninety health codes!” Andrew laughed.

Steven was a bit embarrassed to admit he may have believed him just a teensy bit. He became transfixed, though, with the slight tilt backwards Andrew did when he laughed. His eyes closed and his Adam’s apple bobbing. The minimal crinkle of his nose. He manage not to stammer his response. “Well, hey, I mean I went to this one place this one time and like they had this cheese wheel that had mold around it and they just cut it off and served it.”

Andrew cut those eyes Steven was dumbfounded by across the table. “Sounds-“

“Stupid, I know.”

“ _Fancy_.” He finished with a glint in his eyes provided by the stark bright florescent lights bolted to the tile ceiling. “As to be expected.”

Marissa came back with drinks, they ordered. “Will that be all? Awesome, you two gentlemen enjoy the rest of your date.”

“We’re not-“ Collided with, “This isn’t-” Before the dissolve into uncomfortable but partially genuine laughter.

The awkward tension remained throughout most of the time remaining spent scarfing down their faux breakfasts in silence. Steven was okay with that, it’s how him and Adam spent their time eating, minus the fry stealing. He was used to it.

“Is this what you’re like on real dates?”

Steven nearly choked hearing _that_. Who the fuck does he think he is? They’re eating a half decent meal in expected silence, albeit strained, but nothing could be more offsetting than what was just said. Who says that? Did Steven want him to say that? Maybe a little- and _wow_ that nonchalant hand through the hair the man across the table just did is not helping Steven make up his mind. Andrew didn’t seem to be affected at all by his own statement, maybe Steven was overreacting, maybe it wasn’t a big deal.

WAIT, he didn’t answer! What’s it been, thirty seconds? Shit! Could he recover this? But what would he say? It’s gotta be normal, should he bring it up? Is that weird? He’s overreacting. This is ridiculous, is he fourteen? Forty-five seconds, it’s almost been a minute and Steven is _sitting there_ is he kidding himself? Say something!

“A treat?” 

Andrew chuckled lightly. _Whew._ “I meant quiet but…”

“Yeah. Well, uh no I don’t think so? I don’t know?” Steven attempted to formulate a response.

“We should figure that out. I’m got the bill, meet you back at the car?” Andrew asked but it was more of a statement than a question.

“Sure you don’t want me to?” But he was already gone.

 _We should figure that out some time._ Rings in Steven’s mind just as the bells on Allison’s door ring upon his exit.

 

He’s on his way when he sees the console light up from the windshield of Andrew’s car. Another painful reminder of his guide’s device’s unfortunate demise which was _totally_ Steven’s fault. He heard the soft double beep unlocking noise and grabbed at the handle. Leaning over the console, the notification was expected.

_attachment: one image_

Adam’s at a well decorated but dimly lit restaurant leaned over a bowl of noodles. His eyes are heavily lidded behind his large frames and his beard is nearly toughing the broth. Actually, it is touching the broth. Gross. Seated behind him is an attractive blonde woman. _Karen?_.

Andrew slid in the drivers side and peaked at the photo. “Is that phở?”

Upon closer inspection, it appeared the shorter man was right. Not typically a crazy Las Vegas food staple, but still pretty good nonetheless.

“Closest place for that is… the Asian district? I think it’s the Asian district.” Andrew buckled his seatbelt.

“How far away from here is that?” Steven hadn’t even known there _was_ an Asian district in Vegas.

“Two miles, actually.”

“Really? Huh.”

He jiggled his keys into the ignition and once again began to start up the car. “Buckle up.”

“Do I have to?” Steven whined.

“Depends, do you want to die?” Steven really needed a glass of water right about now, because this man was _dry_.

He clicked his belt into place and spoke. “You are one of the most blunt people I think I’ve met in my entire life, you know that?”

Andrew backed out of their parking space and back onto the busy strip. “It’s a blessing, truly.”

“Couldn’t relate, I can’t land things the right way when I talk normally.”

The rest of their conversation phased out with a generic song coming through the speakers. They were both completely dry now, minus the dampness Steven felt inside his shoes. He pulled Andrew’s hoodie off and tossed it into the backseat, revealing his half-striped-half-black concoction of a shirt again. The song faded into something by Fleetwood Mac and he decided to stick his silver haired head out the window, prompting his hair to begin flopping wildly and exposing his forehead. The lights were easily comparable to all four of the ones in the distant sky above. It was almost like the city decided unanimously that if they were going to take away the stars with light pollution, they might as well give some back. Even if artificially.

“Pretty.” Andrew spoke from behind the wheel, eyes still on the road.

“Thanks, you’re not too bad yourself.” Steven quipped truthfully, Andrew dissolved into laughter. 

“You meant the city didn’t you?” Steven sighed. Andrew nodded. Steven sat there for a moment, staring at this guy who he really didn’t know all too well but felt a sense of familiarity within. He held an air of simplicity yet depth and domesticity Steven could never replicate but deep down desired. He was fuzzy neon throw pillows on a thirteen-year-old’s bed and Andrew was your realtor mom’s neutral toned dining room set. Polar opposites. Both found at IKEA for under 53.99.

 

They went to four food establishments before finding one that served phở.

Walking into the last one, he immediately spotted the women from the picture. With his driver close behind, he approached. 

“Karen?” The lady hadn’t look up from her phone as if she couldn’t be bothered to. Steven looked back to Andrew, who shrugged his shoulders.

“Hello? Karen? Ma’am?” Steven asked again.

The blonde looked up this time, confusion knit itself with her eyebrows as she pointed to herself with her device. “You talking to me?”

“Hi, yeah sorry to bother you, it’s just that we’re looking for our friend and we think you may have seen him.”

There was an instantaneous change in demeanor, from vaguely uninterested to peaked in a fraction of a second. “Oh my god, you’re Steven, aren’t you? Aha! I told that piece of shit-”

Andrew interrupted. “I’m guessing that’s a yes.” He sat catty corner to her, in one of the near mahogany colored chairs. Steven stood.

“You’d be correct. Son of a bitch ruined my night.” Karen crossed her arms, brandishing her impossibly long tacky teal stiletto nails. Steven and Andrew glanced at each other. 

“Where have you guys been?” Andrew again.

“Where have _we_ been? Where have you been! After we met back at Maurino’s,” -The dive he lost Adam at, Steven recalled- “Adam dragged me across the street to hop on one of those open party buses and next thing I know we’re at Tara’s-“

“You know Tara?” Andrew piped in.

“I do now! Four eyes tells me he’s gonna get my name done on him and I’m all excited because, y’know, it’s exciting! No one’s ever done somethin’ that sweet for me! Not my ex an certainly some guy I met at Maurino’s! I’m sitting there all hyped and he says to me when comes out ‘it’s perfect come see!’ and you know what it said?”

Steven took a _wild_ guess. “Fuck Karen?”

“ _Fuck Karen!_ ” She exclaimed. Her eyes were ablaze with anger and astonishment. “And the worst part?”

Steven was tired. It was midnight in Vegas, his coworker and best friend was missing, he’d gotten kicked out and soaking wet, and now a millennial named Karen- however the fuck _that_ happened- was ranting about a story he’d already heard. He could lay down on this restaurant floor and fall asleep if he really wanted too. But he kept listening. When he didn’t answer, Andrew did. Don’t forget about Andrew, as if he ever could. Steven was sure he was going to remember that bastard’s perfect face for the rest of his life. It was incredibly kind of him to be doing this for a stranger but some of the things he would do, Steven decided in his over-exerted delirium, were incredibly rude. For one, he wore khakis earlier and didn’t look bad- in fact, he looked great and that in itself should be a criminal offense against the general public. Now he was in chlorine scented formalwear yet still looked a million fuckin bucks! Rude as all hell! And don’t get Steven started on those eyes-

“The worst part is my name isn’t even Karen! It’s Kelsey!”

They sat in silence after that, not for long though. After regrouping his thoughts, Steven could finally formulate a response. “Where did you last see Adam?”

“He’s in the bathroom.”

Andrew shot up but Steven was already there. “Adam?” he opened one stall. Two. No one to be found when Andrew walks in. “He’s not in here.”

The local walked over to Steven and opened the two stalls himself. “What do you mean he’s not here?”

“I mean he’s not here, it’s a small bathroom and he’s not in here!”

There a lot of _clang_ s from the outside the door followed by indistinguishable arguing that interrupts the stirrings of their own. They find it’s coming from the kitchen and some cooks are not sounding happy at this particular moment in time. The duo are standing there with Kelsey behind them looking like deer caught in headlights as they peer down the narrow steamy kitchen looking for anything that resembles his bearded buddy. All Steven can make out through the heavily accented voices is “The redhead! Get him!” and all at once Andrew, Steven, Kelsey, and two cooks are running after Adam Bianchi.

**Author's Note:**

> wow okay so that's my first fic and wow wow wow wow.  
> I'll update as often as possible and i look forward to writing this one night adventure over the city ahhhhhh!!!


End file.
